Saturday the 6th of July saw the conclusion of the much-coveted Texaco Trophy, with Maiz Dulce taking on Gaston Polo Team, on a busy Ambersham 1.
Tomas Luksic (0) wore the number 1 shirt for Gaston Polo Team, with James Emlyn (3) at 2, Gonzalo Ferrari (7) at 3, and Inigo Heguy (2) at Back. In the yellow shirts for Maiz Dulce, Millie Barfoot (0) rode out at 1, with Alfie Hyde (3) at 2, Will Harper (4) at 3, and Will Emerson at Back.
The game started with an opening goal by young Iñigo Heguy for Gaston; however, this was quickly answered by two consecutive field goals from Harper and Emerson, giving Maiz Dulce a 2-1 lead. The second chukka continued with closely contested play from both sides. A 30-yard goal from Hyde was followed by a breakaway field goal, but Emlyn responded with an under-pressure goal just before the buzzer, leaving the score at 4-2 going into halftime.
The third chukka followed a similar pattern, with an opening 40-yard penalty conversion by Harper and another field goal by Hyde for Maiz Dulce. However, Heguy kept Gaston in contention with two more field goals, setting the stage for a tense final chukka at 6-4. The last period saw an impressive comeback by Gaston, including a successful Penalty 2 and another goal by Heguy to level the scores. But in the final seconds, Hyde broke away to score the decisive field goal, securing a 7-6 victory for Maiz Dulce.
A delighted Millie Barfoot stepped forward to receive the historic Texaco Trophy from Belinda Luksic. With the X-Zony Best Playing Pony rug being presented to Dolly, played and owned by Will Emerson, and cared for by grooms Pablo Marin, Armando Tadeo Barranco, and Enzo Mazza.
